skateshattrick Posted January 19, 2008 Share Posted January 19, 2008 You mean your favorite defenseman is a Swede and not Chris Chelios????? I don't quite get that?? What is there not to get? Nik Lidstrom is also my favorite defenseman of all time. I could care less that he is Swedish. He plays the game the way I like to see it played--great skater, passer, tremendous vison and has never played dirty or on edge. It is the same reason that I like Wayne Gretzky, Steve Yzerman, Pavel Datysuk, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthDakotaHockey Posted January 19, 2008 Share Posted January 19, 2008 I'm just not impressed with Lapoint. He is not physical at all. He has some skill, but you have to be able to hit in this league. I think Chorney's early season slump was in part due to his being paired with Lapoint. Agree with DAR, that's why I'm not coaching, but I played a while, and watch a lot. Lapoint reminds me of a slightly less skilled...dare i say it on this board?...Brian Lee LaPoint is still a youngster and is getting a great deal of playing time. It is real tough for a freshman to step in a skate a regular shift at defense in the WCHA. From where I sit, he is doing it quite well. At the game last night, he was not shy to jump into the post whistle agitating that the Mavs were doing in defense of his teammates. One time, he had a Mav helmet twisted very nicely and he was well prepared to take it to another level had it been necessary. Lee was a fine fine defenseman who is now an AHL All-Star on his way someday to The Show. Comparisons of LaPoint to Lee are well observed, and are read as a testament to your being impressed with him moreso than not. As they might say in Canada, LaPoint is a fine player who will only get much better with each game, eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big A HG Posted January 19, 2008 Share Posted January 19, 2008 LaPoint has been one of our most solid defenders all year. He isn't one to deliver a big check, but to say he doesn't play physical is isgnorant. He does a great job of playing bodies instead of pucks and taking men out of the play even if he doesn't give a glass shattering hit in the process. He's a great passer with a knack for shooting the puck at the right time and finding holes and gaps. He will be one that will be a big loss when he leaves this program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZSIOUX Posted January 19, 2008 Share Posted January 19, 2008 LaPoint has been one of our most solid defenders all year. He isn't one to deliver a big check, but to say he doesn't play physical is isgnorant. He does a great job of playing bodies instead of pucks and taking men out of the play even if he doesn't give a glass shattering hit in the process. He's a great passer with a knack for shooting the puck at the right time and finding holes and gaps. He will be one that will be a big loss when he leaves this program. that will be after 3 years just like our other big losses at D, smaby, greene, commodore ect...chorney and finley after this year..they leave and the next few keep coming in..thats the beauty of sioux hockey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goon Posted January 19, 2008 Share Posted January 19, 2008 LaPoint has been one of our most solid defenders all year. He isn't one to deliver a big check, but to say he doesn't play physical is isgnorant. He does a great job of playing bodies instead of pucks and taking men out of the play even if he doesn't give a glass shattering hit in the process. He's a great passer with a knack for shooting the puck at the right time and finding holes and gaps. He will be one that will be a big loss when he leaves this program. Offensively LaPoint is our best defenseman IMHO. Dynamic and a game breaker are words that I would use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwing77 Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Offensively LaPoint is our best defenseman IMHO. Dynamic and a game breaker are words that I would use. Not willing to go that far. I think LaPoint and Chorney are tied for second offensively among defensemen. Bina is alone in first. He is, after all, leading the WCHA (if not the NCAA) in defensive scoring. The thing is, I like Marto too. In fact, I didn't think Marto would amount to much his freshman year because of his relative anonymity in the USHL. I'm admitting right now I was wrong. He's been very solid, though he's not really as dynamic offensively as he was in high school. It's truly a great thing to have 7 good defensemen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goon Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Not willing to go that far. I think LaPoint and Chorney are tied for second offensively among defensemen. Bina is alone in first. He is, after all, leading the WCHA (if not the NCAA) in defensive scoring. The thing is, I like Marto too. In fact, I didn't think Marto would amount to much his freshman year because of his relative anonymity in the USHL. I'm admitting right now I was wrong. He's been very solid, though he's not really as dynamic offensively as he was in high school. It's truly a great thing to have 7 good defensemen. I think by year three we will be saying wow. LaPoint is one heck of a player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwing77 Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 I already think LaPoint is a heckuva player. The problem is, we can only play 6 d a night without sitting a forward. With that in mind, Hak is forced to platoon LaPoint and Marto. I wouldn't bench any of the D right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brainerd Sioux Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 I would say overall Marto has been more impressive than Lapointe. Lapointe seems a step slow up to this point, not to say he is not a good defense man, but Marto has adjusted better to the speed of the WCHA. They both will be great players in the future for the Sioux, but Marto has been better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Time Hockey Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Not willing to go that far. I think LaPoint and Chorney are tied for second offensively among defensemen. Bina is alone in first. He is, after all, leading the WCHA (if not the NCAA) in defensive scoring. The thing is, I like Marto too. In fact, I didn't think Marto would amount to much his freshman year because of his relative anonymity in the USHL. I'm admitting right now I was wrong. He's been very solid, though he's not really as dynamic offensively as he was in high school. It's truly a great thing to have 7 good defensemen. Where does #5 fit in? He is a stud on the blueline! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZSIOUX Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 I would say overall Marto has been more impressive than Lapointe. Lapointe seems a step slow up to this point, not to say he is not a good defense man, but Marto has adjusted better to the speed of the WCHA. They both will be great players in the future for the Sioux, but Marto has been better. i think both have been very good. both will be very important pieces down the road for the sioux. lapoint has played 18 of 23 games and marto has played 14 or 15 or so. they both would play but genoway has been pretty damn good on the blueline lately so that wont happen unless genoway plays forward. glad we have both on the team Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwing77 Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 I would say overall Marto has been more impressive than Lapointe. Lapointe seems a step slow up to this point, not to say he is not a good defense man, but Marto has adjusted better to the speed of the WCHA. They both will be great players in the future for the Sioux, but Marto has been better. I guess I don't notice any difference. Both have made mistakes on the ice this year thus far. Both have looked like freshmen at times. LaPoint, however, has made more strides offensively than Marto has, so I gave him the edge over Marto. Both have growing to do, for sure. As for Genoway, his flexibility in being a forward and a defenseman puts him in a category by himself. I'm wondering if Hak could do the same thing (eventually) to Marto? I know in high school he skated all over the place and, at times, looked more like a forward than a defenseman. I'm wondering if Hak could translate that into another Genoway type for the Sioux. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Time Hockey Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 i think both have been very good. both will be very important pieces down the road for the sioux. lapoint has played 18 of 23 games and marto has played 14 or 15 or so. they both would play but genoway has been pretty damn good on the blueline lately so that wont happen unless genoway plays forward. glad we have both on the team Lately? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwing77 Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Lately? I'm figuring AZ means that lately he has been because for a stretch of time, Genoway was playing forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Time Hockey Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 I'm figuring AZ means that lately he has been because for a stretch of time, Genoway was playing forward. Gotcha. Don't see enough love for Chay on the board so I get a little defensive! Pun intended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 I'll say it again: A year from now you'll Marto and LaPoint to be "veterans". The defense could well be those two, Jones, Genoway, and a bunch of freshmen. If you think skating a bunch of freshman defensemen is a good thing look at Minnesota's season so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZSIOUX Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 I'll say it again: A year from now you'll Marto and LaPoint to be "veterans". The defense could well be those two, Jones, Genoway, and a bunch of freshmen. If you think skating a bunch of freshman defensemen is a good thing look at Minnesota's season so far. or look a the sioux in 05/06 when we started jones/lee/chorney/finley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianvf Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 I'll say it again: A year from now you'll Marto and LaPoint to be "veterans". The defense could well be those two, Jones, Genoway, and a bunch of freshmen. If by "a bunch" you mean two. I like a returning D-corps of Marto, LaPoint, Genoway, and Jones. Those are 4 solid dmen. Throw in a couple of talented freshmen, and we have the makings of another solid defensive group. Not as experienced as this year's group, but very talented. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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